English Color Prints, Framed, Set of 2

Particular and interesting pair of English color prints; they represent two gentlewomen with elegant dresses of the end of '700 and they have been framed in the first years of '900 in gilded wooden frames in neoclassical style; the most involving and curious thing are the writings that we read under the portraits: the first print titled "Louisa" bears the inscription "Charming all unconscious of her charms, the other entitled "Thoughts on matrimony". bears the nice inscription "Take so much of my advice, do not marry in haste because she who takes the best husband, does not judge that a man of gold". The attitude and expression of the women's faces connect well with the meaning of the two inscriptions. On the prints, we also find other interesting information: the first one was drawn and engraved by William Ward and published in London in January 1796 by the print publisher John Raphael Smith in his store at n.83 Oxford Street; the second one was drawn by John Raphael Smith and engraved by William Ward, and published like the first one in 1796 in London in the same printing house. William Ward (1762-1826) was a celebrated and illustrious English engraver, he was appointed engraver to the Duke of York, the Prince of Wales, and associate engraver of the Royal Academy. William's collaboration with his brother James Ward (painter)produced the best that English art had to offer, their great technical and artistic skill resulted in images that reflect the grace and charm of the era. John Raphael Smith (1751 - March 2, 1812) was an English painter, engraver, and pastelist; it was his discovery of mezzotint engraving that decided his success. His mastery of this difficult technique soon made him famous, and in 1781 he opened an engraving publisher's store in London. He engraved black reproductions of works by famous artists and created color reproductions of his own paintings. His success was such that he employed up to thirty engravers to assist him. His success lasted until 1802, when, mezzotint engravings having gone out of fashion, John Raphael Smith devoted all his activity to pastel. His small-format portraits of the English nobility and high aristocracy enjoyed as great a reputation as his etchings. His prints are delicate, excellent in drawing, and finely expressive of color. Another curiosity of our prints as previously written, they were framed in the early 1900s and the store where the work was done was located in the center of Toulouse (France) in Rue de la Pomme 2; the street was characterized by Haussmann style buildings, in light bricks, cast-iron balconies and sculptural decorations, made by the most important architects of Toulouse, moreover it was animated by numerous and particular stores such as the one of the poet shoemaker Louis Vestrepain, by watchmakers and jewelers of the Ancely family, by important typographers-booksellers, by the English tailor The Red House, by great cafes and restaurants such as the Café Anglais and the Hotel Portes and the Hotel de Londres. The prints are in good condition, in some parts of the frames the gold leaf appears worn (see photo) but this makes the two objects much more fascinating and historically interesting. Measures of each width cm.41, height cm.35, depth cm.2; prints measures cm.26 x cm.20. For all our shipments we use special packaging materials (wooden crates, styrofoam, etc.) for maximum protection and safety of the objects.